Switch device for automobile signals



Nov. 27, 1934.' 1 J, QDQNNELL 1,982,397

SWITCH DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE SIGNALS Filed Deo. 2l, 1953 INVENTOR Jo/m J Donne/ Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE SIGN ALS

1 Claim.

'I'his invention relates generally to switch devices for automobile signals.

A primary object of my invention is to lprovide a switch device that is a unitary structure fand that can readily be mounted on and demlounted from the steering post of the automobile.

A further object is to yprovide such a switch that is `compact `and simple in construction.

l0 A still further object is to provide such a switch that is positive in action.

Other objects and advantages of -my improved switch device will be apparent from the description thereof to follow taken in connection with 1I the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a side view of an automobile steering post with my improved switch device mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a front View of the movable fiber gear with vwiper forming part of the switch device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the same.

Figure 4 is a front view and Figure 4a an edge view lpartly in section of the plate supporting the stationary contact members of the switch device.

Figure 5 is a front view of the bracket and plate supporting one of the stationary contacts.

Figure 5a is 1a. sectional view of the same.

Figure 6 is a detail of the split gear forming part of lthe device.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of bracket and contact plates forming part of the device.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring connections of the switch device.

With reference to the various views of the drawing, my improved switch device is to be used in connection with the steering post 11 of an automobile. The steering `post is enclosed in la casing 12 Yas is usual Iand is supported by a bracket 13 mounted on the instrument board 14 of the automobile. The bracket is formed with a removable bottom portion 15 which is secured to the body of the bracket by means of screws 16.

Mounted on the steering post 11 is a split spur r gear 17. This may be done by cutting away a portion of the casing 12.

rIlhe improved switch unit forming my invention is removably supported by the bracket 13. This unit `comprises a bracket 18 formed with feet 19 having openings 20 therein. Secured to the body portion of the bracket 18 adjacent the top thereof is Ia disk or plate 21 formed of insulating material. A ring 22 of metal or other r conducting material is fastened to the disk by t means of a screw 23 or other fastening means.

Supported by the bracket 18 by means of a bolt 24 'at =a distance removed from the disk 21 is another circular plate or disk 25 of insulating material. Secured to the inner face of disk 25 near the top edge thereof as viewed in Figure 1 is a. 60 curved metal plate 26. This plate 26 is fastened by means of a screw 27 which passes through the disk 25 to the exterior thereof. Adjacent the bottom edge of the disk 2.5 is another curved metal plate 28 fastened by -means of a screw 29 pass- 65 ing to the exterior. The yplates 26 and 28 are spaced from each other with the insulating material of the disk 25 therebetween. The disk 25 is made fast to the bolt 24 by means of a screw 30 and plate 31 on the exterior of the disk 25. 70

Loosely mounted on the bolt 24 between the disks 21 and 25 is another disk 32 formed of fiber or other insulating material. This disk 32 has gear teeth 33 formed on the periphery thereof. A spring metal wiper 34 is mounted on each face of the disk 32 at opposite points by means of bolts 35. When the disk 32 is in position on the bolt 24 one of the wipers 34 is aligned with and adapted to touch the ring 22 on the disk 21, and the other wiper 34 is aligned with and adapted to touch the plates 26 and 28 on the disk 25 when the disk 32 rotates on the bolt.

On the bracket 18 below the disks is a pinion 36 rotatably mounted on a bolt 37. This pinion 36 is in mesh with the teeth of the disk 32.

The improved unit consisting of bracket, disks and pinion as illustrated in Figure 9 is removably mounted on the bracket 13 behind the instrument board 14 by inserting the feet 19 of the bracket 18 between the body portion of the bracket 13 and its bottom portion 15 and then passing the screws 16 through said bottom portion 15, openings 20 in the feet and the body of the bracket 13. The feet 19 of course are on either side of the steering post 11 and casing. When in this position, the pinion 35 is in mesh with the split spur gear 17 on the steering post, as shown in Figure 1.

It will be understood of course that the improved unit may be mounted at any point along y the steering post by mounting the bracket 19 on 100 any part of the chassis of the automobile adjacent the steering post and by mounting the split gear 17 on the post at said point.

When the steering post 11 is turned for steern ing purposes, movement of said post will be im- 105 parted to the fixed gear 17, pinion 35 in mesh therewith and toothed disk 32. Rotation of the disk 32 carries the wipers 34 around therewith, one of said wipers being in constant engagement y with the ring 22 and the opposite wiper being 110 in engagement alternately with the plates 26 and 28 on the disk 25.

The wiring arrangement of the improved switch device is shown diagrammatically in Figure 8. A conductor 38 leads from the positive side of a battery 39 to the terminal screw 23 and from the screw to the contact plate 22 on the disk 21. Connecting the contact plate 26 on the disk 25 with the front lamp 40 on the left side of the automobile is a conductor 4l, and connecting the same plate 26 with the rear lamp 42 on the left side of the automobile is a conductor 43. The front lamp 44 on the right side is connected to the plate 23 on the disk 25 by a conductor Li5,faiid the rear lamp 46 on the right side is connected tothe same plate 2S by a conductor 47. Each o1" theV lamps is grounded.

In using my improved switch device, turning of the steering post 11 will turn the toothed disk 32 because of the intermeshing of the gear 17 and pinion 35. -Rotation of this disk 32 carries the Wipers around with it so that one of said wipers 34 is always in contact with the ring 22. This ring 22 being in electrical connection with the positive side of the battery 39 by means of the conductor 3S aords means for carrying the currentto the wiper 34 which is in contact therewith, and through said contacting wiper to the bolts 35 and to the wiper 24 on the'opposite side o the disk 22, which is adjacent the disk 25. Rotation of the steering post to the right causes the latter wiper 34 to sweep aero"n 'the contact plate 28 on the disk 25 closing the circuit to the battery in which said plate 28 is located thereby lighting the auxiliary bulbs 52 62 in the right front-and rear lamps, respectively, said auxiliary lamp bulbs being in the same circuit with the plate 28.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a switch device for automobiles that is compact in structure, that can be marketed as a unit for mounting on any automobile with little or no modification of the steering mechanism, and that is positive in action.

It will be understood that a casing might be mounted on the bracket 18 to enclose the upper portion oi said bracket, the disks and associated part and the pinion 27 to protect said elements.

I claim:

Switching mechanism for automobile signal lamps comprising a bracket member including a pair of spaced LY-shaped members adapted to engage the steering column supporting bracket -on opposite sides of the steering column, a split gear adapted to be mounted on the steering shaft, an intermediate gear -rotatably carried by said irst bracket member and meshing with said split gear, an insulating gear meshing with said intermediate gear, a pairof insulating disks xcdly carried by said iirst bracket one on each sideY of said insulating gear, an annular contact carried by one of said disks, a wiper carried by said insulating gear engaging said annular contact, a pair of segmental contacts carried by the other` ci said disks in spaced relation to each other, and a second wiper connected to said first wiper an carried by said insulating gear opposite from said first Contact and engageable withA one seg- T1* mental contact upon rotation of the insulating gear in one direction and engageable Withthe other segmental contact upon rotation or" th insulating gear in the opposite direction.

JOHN J. ODON'N'LL.

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